AI adoption among RIAs accelerated sharply in 2025, with 63% of advisors now using the technology. Client communications are one of the leading use cases, along with administrative tasks.

Firms that integrate AI thoughtfully report meaningful time savings, often 10+ hours per week per advisor, while improving response times and personalization. At the same time, successful use requires human oversight, clear policies, and compliance safeguards to maintain fiduciary standards and reduce regulatory risk.

How Can AI Improve Drafting and Efficiency?

Many RIAs now use AI to prepare first drafts of meeting follow-ups, market updates, and routine client letters. Data shows that 31% of firms already use AI for client correspondence.

Early adopters report that AI can handle 70–80% of the initial structure and research for communications, with advisors making the final edits. 

How Can AI Support More Personalized Client Communication?

AI can help RIAs tailor communications by using client data more efficiently. Messages can reflect portfolio details, life events, tax considerations, or progress toward goals without requiring each update to be written from scratch. This is especially useful for segmented service models, where different client groups need communication that matches their needs and complexity.

Recent benchmarks show AI-driven personalization can raise client satisfaction scores by 20%, while firms using tailored communications report up to 25% higher client retention rates.

Adoption is already growing: 35% of advisors use AI to draft personalized emails and client communications, and 71% of clients prefer a hybrid model that combines AI-driven insights with human advice.

How Should RIAs Manage Compliance Risk?

Regulatory scrutiny of AI use is increasing. The SEC’s 2025–2026 exam priorities include review of AI policies, procedures, and disclosures when technology is used in client communications or marketing. Yet only 15% of RIA firms currently have formal AI usage policies, leaving many exposed to supervision or recordkeeping gaps.

Stronger firms route AI-generated content through compliance checkpoints before it is sent. Some also use tools that flag missing disclosures, unsuitable language, or other risks during the review process.

What Overlooked Communication Workflows Can AI Support?

AI can also improve client communication in overlooked areas that RIAs have historically reviewed manually or only periodically. Tax-loss harvesting, excess cash, volatility updates, retirement milestones, and RMD reminders are examples where AI can help surface a client-specific issue and support a timely, relevant message.

Another credible and increasingly prominent trend is securities class actions. Historically, this area was difficult to manage manually because there are roughly 1,000 active cases each year. That has started to change with the development of AI, which platforms such as 11th.com use to fully automate the process. Its AI infrastructure covers class action settlements, SEC Fair Funds, shareholder compensation, digital asset recovery, and other government and private recovery programs across assets and jurisdictions.

With a projected $9B available to claim this year, recovery alpha is becoming a powerful tool for RIAs, turning missed recoveries into visible client value while demonstrating active portfolio oversight.

What Should RIAs Prioritize in 2026?

In 2026, RIAs using AI for client communications should focus on practical use cases with clear oversight. Drafting support, personalization, compliance review, and recovery-related updates are areas where AI can improve efficiency without removing the advisor from the process.

FAQ 

How can RIAs use AI for client communications?

RIAs can use AI to draft follow-ups, market updates, client emails, and personalized messages with advisor review.

Why are RIAs adopting AI for communication?

AI can save advisor time, improve response speed, and make client updates more relevant.

Can AI personalize RIA client communications?

Yes. AI can help tailor messages using portfolio details, life events, tax considerations, and client goals.

What compliance risks should RIAs watch with AI?

RIAs need clear AI policies, human review, recordkeeping, and compliance checks before client-facing content is sent.

What overlooked workflows can AI support?

AI can support tax-loss harvesting alerts, cash reviews, volatility updates, retirement reminders, and recovery alpha.